"Commercial helium suppliers, however, say their inability to buy helium directly from the Federal Helium Reserve is another factor. They fear it could worsen the stockpile is shut down because of a government mandate."

East Asians are incredibly weird. Normally it's Japan that's coming up with/wearing/inventing/fetish-izing weird things, but their bitter rivals across the East China Sea give them a run for their money.

East Asians are incredibly weird. Normally it's Japan that's coming up with/wearing/inventing/fetish-izing weird things, but their bitter rivals across the East China Sea give them a run for their money.

Why are there a ton of people wearing the Michael Jackson/doctors surgerical mask over there as well?

When I was over in Hong Kong, a lot of people were wearing those things.

East Asians are incredibly weird. Normally it's Japan that's coming up with/wearing/inventing/fetish-izing weird things, but their bitter rivals across the East China Sea give them a run for their money.

Why are there a ton of people wearing the Michael Jackson/doctors surgerical mask over there as well?

When I was over in Hong Kong, a lot of people were wearing those things.

I don’t know about Hong Kong, but in Japan it’s considered socially polite to wear a mask when you are sick so that you aren’t spreading germs with your coughing and sneezing. I assumed the people I'd see on TV wearing masks were afraid of getting sick, but I since learned that they actually are sick and they’re trying not to infect others.